I’m a fashion grad — what now?

Fourth-year graduates at Ryerson University’s fashion design and fashion communication programs are about to find out about the fashion industry’s Darwinian natural selection process, and how only the most sartorially savvy will survive.

Hot off the heels of the graduating class’s Mass Exodus fashion show, design program graduates Devlyn Van Loon, Stephanie Kia and fashion communication student Odette Beja are heading into a workforce in which youth unemployment is at a high of 14.7%, according to a TD economic report, with 27,000 fewer jobs available now than this time last year for those between the ages of 15 to 24.

Not exactly statistics these women are happy to hear halfway out the classroom door, degrees in hand and mounting student debt in tow.

“It’s frightening but it kind of puts it into perspective that you can’t expect always to work in fashion,” says Devlyn Van Loon, a 22-year-old aspiring designer. Admitting that goes against Ryerson’s proudly touted 1996 statistic that 95.5% of its fashion grads find jobs in their field, and indeed, 2008 numbers from the Council of Ontario Universities found an 83.5% placement rate in jobs somewhat or closely related to the fields of a graduate’s study.

While many aspiring fashion graduates may have launching their own label in mind, they often find themselves working as manufacturers, pattern makers, sales clerks, tailors and dressmakers.

“Maybe you’ll have to do something else on the side to make ends meet but I guess it’s just a sign that you have to work even harder to get what you want because there’s so much competition,” Van Loon says; she takes in contract sewing work for local fashion label Thomas. “Just up your work ethic.”

Alisha Schick, the 30-year-old Edmonton designer behind Suka Clothing, supports her label by working as professor at MC College, and knows only too well that work ethic and dedication are the best tools these newly minted designers have in a financially insecure and cutthroat industry. Increased competition amongst graduates pushes them further away from their chosen field of study or pulls them out entirely, according to the TD economic report.

“The ones that really want to do it are going to be the ones that survive. There’s a lot of people I think right now just taking it because it’s just a Project Runway trend,” says Schick, whose day job includes teaching fashion sketching, colour theory and portfolio development to students. “Those people are going to get weeded out, but the serious people are always going to be in fashion and just keep growing with it.”

“The difficulties that present themselves across one’s path can really be taken as an opportunity to gain valuable experience and growth,” says 23-year-old Beja, who may not face the same difficulties as her design student cohorts but who still relies on a thriving fashion industry for employment. “It doesn’t matter if the industry is tough to work in, as long as they’re passionate and as long as they work hard.”

Ryerson graduate and aspiring bridal designer Stephanie Kia, 22, isn’t fazed, even after a semester of studying and researching the changing job climate in the fashion industry. She has already secured a two-year contract as a technical designer with Abercrombie and Fitch.

“I definitely think that people should go in with lower expectations in this industry, especially when they start up,” says Kia, who showcased ethereal wedding gowns in her Mass Exodus segment. “You have to pay your dues, you have to work your way up, and I don’t think people should expect to get instant gratification right away. I definitely think you have to be very realistic about it.”
And ultimately, a four-in-five placement rate for those willing to stick it out isn’t bad at all.

“Success is very subjective. For me, as long as I can continue making things and learning while being able to pay my bills, I would consider myself successful,” Devlyn says. “As long as I’m able to kind of do that within the industry I would say I’d be happy, but it is a very cutthroat industry and it can be hard sometimes so we’ll see.